The trip to Black Snake Bay was originally intended to solve the issue of the Star Cast Gear, but now it seems that is not the case.

However, Horn is accustomed to this; on Earth, it took the steam engine nearly seventy years to push forward the industrial revolution.

The Star Cast Gear is so useful, yet achieving instant success is not that easy.

Currently, Hilov has made a small breakthrough in resonance experiments.

Coupled with the "Celestial Maiden Secret Scroll," with her efficiency, the prototype should be ready soon.

But, there is another issue, which is the Dragon Worship Sect dwarves monopolizing the Dragon Bone mines, both destroying it and regarding it as a sacred object.

Currently, the dwarf community is bound to undergo a religious reform.

Forget it, let Cynthia handle it.

What Horn has to do now, apart from ether resonance technology, is to properly prepare for diplomatic affairs with Falan.

Horn is very aware of Grandiva’s extortion; in truth, neither side wants to start a war.

It’s just that both Grandiva and Horn have been set against each other, along with Charles VIII wanting to press Horn diplomatically.

This matter indeed needs to be handled properly, and preparations need to be made once back.

Nestled in the cabin, the raindrops pattered on the roof, and Horn sighed helplessly.

After northern Pope Puliano’s death, Xie Li, the holder of the will containing the Holy Cabinet and various saintly artifacts, disappeared.

Additionally, the death of a large batch of Cardinals caused the church inheritance to face significant legal issues.

Horn currently doesn’t have many cards to play, while Charles VIII endlessly conjures them in the public sphere.

Is there a way to completely resolve this mana issue?

Horn chuckled self-deprecatingly, where is there something so perfect? Wasn’t this trip to Black Snake Bay also unrewarding?

With a sense of relief in his heart, Horn stretched lazily, then lay on the bed, falling into a deep sleep.

As for this ship, under the push of wind and waves, it continued its journey northward.

......

"Achoo!"

Xie Li sneezed heavily, rubbing his nose, feeling the dust in the cabin was too much.

In this less than 40 square meter personnel cabin, there were over 20 people squeezed in.

As for the people packed in the cabin, they were refugees collected by the Ludwig Relief Association from various parts of Leia.

Including Xie Li himself.

The Ludwig Relief Association is practically a non-governmental organization organized by Kasha County’s County Governor Martin and others.

They broadly accept social donations, responsible for leading Leia’s refugees through war zones back to the Holy Alliance.

Not limited to monks, many former senior partners from Meigedi contribute both money and manpower to this organization.

Like Milson, the largest shipping company in Thousand River Valley, which donated fifteen flute-type ships to the Ludwig Relief Association in one go.

Next to the pillar in the cabin, high-wire artist Sani from Eagle’s Claw Bay bent his long legs, and cord-maker hunchback Wolin almost put his head on the card table.

Opposite them is Anselm, the Armed Farmer from Leia in Windmill Land.

This wealthy farmer tightly holds his cards, maintaining a poker face, not allowing anyone to read a single expression.

Their little gambling table is merely a face-sized round stool, all three squatting on the deck.

"Draw!"

"Haha, a straight! Pay up!"

Seeing such a scene, Xie Li has no mood or strength left to condemn the sins.

Seven months, it’s been a full seven months.

Originally, it would take just one month by water to reach Thousand River Valley, yet it took Xie Li seven months.

It’s not that Xie Li didn’t want to arrive sooner, but he simply couldn’t.

After escaping the city, he and his guards and attendants mixed among civilians, being pushed north by the ogre army to the Border Territory.

Only after a rare opportunity arose did they escape, although several guards were killed, leaving only Xie Li and two attendants.

The three found a church, intending to travel to the Holy Alliance through it.

However, the church’s bishop accused Xie Li of "secretly communicating with heretics" and sent demon hunters to try to capture him.

Fortunately, Xie Li was cautious, changing horses and crossing the river swimming at night, successfully eluding capture.

This is natural, as Xie Li is the only remaining one among many Cardinals, and the one with the lowest prestige.

He lost his guards, carried the Holy Cabinet, and held the Pope’s will, practically flaunting a flag on his head, inviting capture.

After suffering this setback, Xie Li and the two attendants decided to disguise as monks, not daring to use churches for travel anymore.

They traveled from Border Territory on foot, working and saving money along the way, forcing Xie Li, formerly plump, to slim down, his face becoming tanned like a farmer’s.

After many twists and turns, he finally reached Dawn Island.

Eventually, in June, during summer, he brought the Holy Cabinet and Angel’s Teardrop candle, boarding the ship to Thousand River Valley.

Previously, squeezed among these smelly farmers and citizens, Xie Li wouldn’t refuse, but he would certainly gag.

But now, he’s too exhausted to speak.

His only thought is to quickly deliver the Pope’s will, then find a monastery to conceal himself for the rest of his life.

Once, he was the inheritor of the former Pope’s political legacy, but now he is like a stray dog, having lost everything.

His faith has become full of confusion.

Especially after working everywhere during this period, he finally starts to understand why the farmers of the Holy Alliance revolted.

However, regarding the Holy Alliance, Xie Li doesn’t want to stay longer; it’s the church’s painful place, even a place of selling heresy and devilry.

The previous two Popes both fell here.

The former sent out Prince Kongdai’s coalesced Knight Order cultivated by the church for ten years, while the latter sent the essence of the Pope’s Guard, Divine Hall Knight Order, and Border Knight Order all clean.

Once the Pope’s position was succeeded by this pseudo Saint’s Grandson, what would become of the Miseria Church Holy See?

The future is already unbearable for Xie Li to witness.

"Mad, dare you smear mud on my tools?"

"I didn’t, that’s not mine."

"Then it’s yours for sure."

Xie Li’s memories are soon interrupted by reality, with two brothers from Eagle’s Claw Bay cornering a weak farmer.

The two keep patting the farmer’s face or kicking at his calves, clearly intentionally provoking him.

Having stayed in the cabin for a month, Xie Li tried to minimize interactions with them to avoid exposure.

The world’s priests and nobles are all alike, so Xie Li doesn’t dare hand over this precious sacred artifact before seeing high-ranking individuals.

At least, he wants to meet with someone of Cardinal level first.

Though Xie Li tries to keep a low profile, he still understands something about the people in the cabin.

For instance, the bullied farmer is from the Polak family of Falan, descendants of refugees.

Because he is Falan, the two brothers, shipwright and rope maker from Leia, always bully him.

The mediator is a speculative merchant from Golden Horn Bay of the El people, relatively closer to the Falan.

But this farce doesn’t concern Xie Li; he simply watches with cold eyes.

Predictably, discipline soon came down to the cabin, calming things down after several sticks.

Eventually, the ship’s priest Halifax descended reluctantly to speak, "I know you’re restless during the voyage, can’t you stay quiet for a few more days? You’re almost at Xia Lvcheng."

"Priest Halifax, it’s just too boring on this ship, we’re almost bored to illness," hunchback Wolin complained.

"Alright, ahead is a small dock, perfect for a stop to replenish supplies, and you can go ashore for a walk. That should be okay?"